Enhancing Carbon Emission Efficiency through the Integration of “Two Industries”: A Measurement Based on an Evaluation Index System

Abstract

The rapid development of China’s manufacturing industry has brought about environmental problems that have aroused people’s attention to improving carbon emission efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. In this paper, 13 prefecture-level cities in Hunan Province from 2010 to 2020 were selected as research samples, and the coupling coordination degree model and super-efficiency slacks-based measure (SBM) model were used to calculate the level of integration of “two industries” (manufacturing and producer services, short for “TI”) and the efficiency of carbon emissions. Then, hypotheses are established: The integration of TI can promote the improvement of carbon emission efficiency; The integration of TI promotes technological innovation; Technological innovation can promote carbon emission efficiency; Technological innovation is an intermediary in integrating TI affecting carbon emission efficiency. By using the fixed effect model and the mediation effect test method, we empirically analyze the influence of the integration of TI on carbon emission efficiency and the mediating role of technological innovation in this process. The conclusions are as follows: the integration of TI has a significant promoting effect on carbon emission efficiency; The integration of TI improves carbon emission efficiency by promoting technological innovation, and technological innovation bears part of the intermediary effect in the process of the impact of the integration of TI on carbon emission efficiency. The policy implications for improving carbon emission efficiency are proposed based on the research results.